


Longer than Forever

by americanchemicals



Series: Lost in Limbo [2]
Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Guardian Angels, Angel Shane Madej, Established Relationship, Identity Reveal, M/M, Protective Shane Madej, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 02:17:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13226073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/americanchemicals/pseuds/americanchemicals
Summary: Ryan could sense that something was off, that something was different. He couldn't put his finger on it, he just felt something, like an itch, and it wasn't something that he could ignore. Shane's strange behavior didn't help.





	Longer than Forever

Ryan could sense that something was off, that something was different. He couldn't put his finger on it, he just felt something, like an itch, and it wasn't something that he could ignore. Sometimes, warmth would just flood his body, for no reason at all. It was like the warmth you got from drinking hot chocolate after being in the freezing cold for a long time, or sinking into a hot bath that relaxed all the tension from your body. It would happen randomly, like when he was sitting at his desk replying to bland emails from corporate or tying his shoe or washing his hands. It happened enough that it became noticeable, and it wasn't exactly irritating, but he knew for a fact that this was something new that hadn't happened before. 

Other things had started to happen after the incident. He had started dating Shane, which was something new, but that wasn't the weirdest thing. 

"I can't get drunk anymore," he admitted to Shane one morning as they both sat at their computers, working. 

"Is your liver finally getting a much needed break?" Shane joked, looking up and meeting Ryan's eyes.

"No, I'm not taking a break from alcohol. I'm saying when I drink alcohol, it does nothing for me. Wine may as well be water, at this point."

"So, you're saying you're Jesus?" Shane gave him that stupid shit-eating grin, and Ryan dropped the subject. He knew if he kept trying to push it enough for Shane to actually take him seriously, he was going to sound crazy. 

He could now drink scolding-hot coffee without burning his tongue. Pizza of the same temperature no longer burned the roof of his mouth. He swore that he had gotten a paper cut the other day during a meeting, but when he went to observe it later it was gone. The pain didn't even register, because he hadn't felt any pain in the first place. This all sounded fantastic, but it was starting to freak Ryan out. 

When he kissed Shane for the first time, the warmth came back, but stronger this time, and he blamed it on hormones. It happened every time they kissed, so Ryan figured it was just because he was falling in love and nothing else. 

But after dating for three weeks, as the two were sat cuddled together on Shane's couch, they went from watching some cheesy horror movie on the television to a heated make-out session. The warm sensation was back, stronger. It wasn't hot, and it didn't make him sweaty or anything, but it was enough to distract him from the task at hand. It made his chest tight, and he pushed Shane off of him.

"Is everything alright?" Shane asked, running a thumb across Ryan's cheek.

"My chest feels weird. I think something's wrong," he replied, grimacing a bit as he rubbed at his chest. The feeling was intensifying, and it felt like the warmth was expanding, trying to escape. 

"Are you having trouble breathing?" Shane questioned, sitting up, face growing more concerned. 

Ryan shook his head as he sat up as well, because he could breathe just fine. He felt kind of bad for making Shane worry, but he couldn't focus on anything else. He described what he had been feeling to his boyfriend, and recognition flashed in the taller man's eyes, even if it was for a second. 

"It sounds like you might have anxiety," Shane offered, rubbing circles into his lower back.

"I don't think that's right, because the feeling gets worse when I'm around you." Ryan wished that he had worded it a bit differently, but he kept his eyes on his socked feet in order to avoid Shane's probably hurt expression. 

"I'll drive you home, if that's what you want," the brunet said gently, not sounding the least bit offended.

-

Ryan didn't hear from Shane for the entire weekend, which was even stranger than the weird feeling in his chest. If anything, the warmth turned into something painful without Shane, and it actually labored his breathing. He texted Shane throughout the entire day Saturday and through most of Sunday, not getting a single reply. They hadn't exactly gotten into a fight, had they? If he had hurt Shane's feelings he would've told him, right? What if something had happened instead? What if there was a different reason that Shane wasn't answering his texts and calls?

Taking a cab over to Shane's place, he climbed the stairs to the apartment, pulling out a set of keys that Shane had given him before they had even started dating.

Walking into the apartment, not much had changed since he had been there Friday night. In fact, the bowl they had eaten popcorn out of was still sat on the coffee table. Walking throughout, and openly calling Shane's name, he got no response. He opened Shane's bedroom door, only to find him passed out on the floor. 

"Oh my god, Shane," Ryan panicked, collapsing to his knees, shaky hands reaching out to search for a pulse. Pressing against warm skin, he was more than happy to find a steady _thump, thump_ underneath his fingers. Grabbing the lanky man's shoulders, he shook him, yelling his name when that did nothing to wake him. Tears leaked down his cheeks as he began to panic once more, reaching into his pocket and fishing for his phone. Dialing 911, he was ready to hit the call button, when Shane gasped awake, grabbing at his wrist. He dropped the phone, a soft thud sounding as it hit the carpeted floor.

Ryan had broken into sobs, muttering incoherently, as Shane grabbed at his shoulders and kept repeating that he was fine and he didn't need an ambulance. 

"What the fuck, Shane!" he finally yelled, pushing the brunet's hands off his shoulders, "You were passed out on the floor and weren't responding!"

"Ryan, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Shane repeated, trying to pull him into a hug, but Ryan pushed him away again.

"If you don't explain right now I swear to god I'm calling for the paramedics."

"I-" Shane started, but seemed at a loss for words, "I can't explain, but you can't call 911."

"Do you know how worried I was? All weekend, and I hear nothing from you? That's not acceptable, Shane, I can't come here after all of that to find you like that!" Ryan grew angry, standing up. Shane stayed kneeling on the floor, looking into Ryan's eyes but not offering any verbal explanation. 

After too long a silence, Ryan stormed out, only crying once he got back to the safety of his home. The warmth in his chest felt cold for once, like it was crying with him. 

-

He called in sick the next day, not having it in him to get out of bed. Shane didn't trust him enough to tell him whatever the hell was happening with him. What if it was something medical, something related to the accident? What if it was worse, some awful chronic medical condition? As his boyfriend, probably ex-boyfriend now, shouldn't Shane trust him enough to share that type of information with him?

Oh god, if they were broken up now, that meant that the show was ruined. All of Ryan's hard work was for nothing. It was messy to go and date his coworker, but now it was too late.

He hadn't even gotten to tell Shane that he loved him yet. Now he wasn't even going to get to do that. 

He spent most of the day in bed, and finally decided around late afternoon that he should probably eat a proper meal. Beginning to chop some vegetables, he heard a sudden knock at the door. 

Unlocking and swinging the door open, the last thing he expected was Shane standing there, holding a bouquet of white roses. Shane's hair was messier than usual, and he looked like a worse wreck than Ryan did, which was saying something. 

"You know I'm going to kill those in literally two days," was the first thing Ryan said, gesturing to the roses, and Shane gave a weak smile.

"I know."

The two stood in silence for a few moments before Ryan invited him in, remembering the chicken he was cooking in the oven. Going back to chopping vegetables, he heard Shane shuffling behind him, probably putting the roses in a vase of water. Shane eventually moved to stand near to where Ryan was, but not next to him.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," Shane started, and Ryan avoided making eye contact.

"You know I don't want an apology," he snapped.

"I can't offer an explanation."

"Why the hell not, Shane?" he sighed, trying to not get angrier than he already was. 

"Because," the taller man stated.

"Because?" Ryan asked irritably. 

"Because," Shane replied again in that calm tone, and Ryan's head snapped up to meet his eyes, regretting the quick movement when he felt the knife slip from his grip.

Dropping the knife, Ryan pulled his hand close to his body, noticing a deep cut across his palm. But just as it started to bleed, he watched it begin to heal, the skin stitching itself together. The whole time, he hadn't felt any pain.

"What the fuck," he whispered to himself, feeling lightheaded. He swayed a bit where he was standing, and Shane reached up to steady him. 

"I think there's something I need to show you," Shane finally said. He guided Ryan to a chair, and took a few steps back. The taller man proceeded to pull off his shirt, and Ryan was ready to make a sharp comment, when Shane's eyes began to glow bright blue. The warm feeling came back, intensifying. But as a pair of wings grew from Shane's back, the feeling dissipated, finally calming. 

The wings themselves were almost bright white, but carried a light blue hue to them. Shane's eyes stopped glowing, returning to their normal brown, and Ryan stayed motionless in his chair.

"I'm an angel of the Lord," Shane explained, but crossed his arms over his chest protectively, like he was afraid of Ryan's reaction. 

"I would call bullshit but-" Ryan gestured to the wings. They were huge, and they weren't even spread out. In the tiny kitchen, they took up most of the space encompassing Shane. 

"The reason I was passed out on the floor, was because I was in heaven, discussing matters with other angels. When I go up there, my vessel doesn't come with me."

"Are you possessing some poor dude?" Ryan squeaked, and Shane laughed a bit, dropping his arms.

"If it makes you feel any better, the real Shane Madej is brain dead. That actually sounds awful, but it wasn't me that killed him, he was really sick and he wanted me to possess him, because angels need consent to possess a vessel. The real Shane is up in heaven, and I visit him all the time, and he's cool with everything that I do in his name."

"You're an angel." Ryan was still in a bit of shock, trying to absorb this new information.

"Yes," Shane nodded. 

"Do you know why my chest is always feeling weird?"

"Yeah, um, funny story, your soul is bonded to my angelic grace," Shane explained, breaking eye contact to look at the ground.

"What the fuck does that mean?"

"It means that you're part angel but you're not, because your body contains part of my grace. My vessel also contains part of your soul. It means that you can't get hurt, as demonstrated by that chef's knife," Shane gestured to where it sat on the counter, "but if it makes you feel better, tons of guardian angels end up soul-bonded to their charges."

"Guardian angel? You keep digging yourself into a deeper hole, you know," Ryan rubbed his temples, and Shane finally moved closer to him.

"I can try and break the bond, if you want, I understand if you don't want to be apart of my world."

"Are you crazy? I'm in love with you, that doesn't change if you have feathers or not."

"You're in love with me?" Shane smiled brightly, and his wings preened with his words. 

Ryan stood up slowly, reaching out and running his fingers through the soft plumage. 

"It'd only be different if you were a demon. Demons scare the crap out of me," Ryan admitted.

"The good news is that demons will never be able to harm you now. And if they try, I'll obliterate them and make them regret even looking at you," Shane said grimly.

"Wow, that turned me on way more than I thought it would," Ryan joked, and Shane's expression darkened as he leaned in to kiss the black-haired man.

"So, now I have to hear you say it, are ghosts real?" Ryan asked when they pulled apart.

"Yes, babe, ghosts are real." Shane leaned in for another kiss, but Ryan turned his head.

"This may be the happiest day of my life, you just admitted that ghosts are real. Man, I wish I had that on camera. I'm making you say that on camera, you know."

Shane groaned, but smiled anyways, enjoying his human's antics. 


End file.
